the
Committees of Protection, Correspondence and Safety
of the various States
United under and by
the
Constitution for the United States of America

BOSTON, September, 27, 1774.

GENTLEMEN,

HE committees of correspondence of this and several of the neighbouring towns, having taken into consideration the vast importance of withholding from the troops now here, labour, straw, timber, slitwork, boards, and, in short, every article excepting provisions necessary for their subsistence; and being under a necessity from their conduct of considering them as real enemies, we are fully satisfied that it is our bounden duty to withhold from them every thing but what meer humanity requires; and therefore we must beg your close and serious attention to the inclosed resolves which was passed unanimously; and as unanimity in all our measures in this day of severe trial, is of the utmost consequence, we do earnestly recommend your co-operation in this measure, as conducive to the good of the whole.

We are,

Your Friends and Fellow Countrymen,

Signed by Order of the joint Committee,

William Cooper , Clerk.

Ì Ì Ì Ì Ì Ì Ì Ì Ì Ì Ì Ì

AT a Meeting of the several Committees of the Towns of Boston,

Roxbury, Charlestown, Dedham, Braintree,

Dorchester, Cambridge, Milton, Woburn, and

Watertown, Mistick, Malden, Stow.

September 27th, the following Resolve and Vote were passed, viz.

HEREAS the Inhabitants of the towns of Boston and Charlestown, by the operation of the detested and oppressive port-bill, are now suffering unspeakable distress arising from the entire prohibition of commerce, and the transportation of even the necessaries of life by [transfer] from one town to another, and Whereas, in addition to the severity of said execrable bill, General Gage the military commander of this province and the admiral on his station, are now in the exercise of the most licentious and arbitrary acts of oppression by withholding provisions from this town allowed by said act of parliament, by embarrassing, unnecessarily detaining, and thereby preventing the usual supplies of fuel to said town, by harassing, insulting, and villifying the inhabitants passing and re-passing to and from the town of Boston, by alarming the people with the most formidable fortifications at the entrance of said town, by continuing and encreasing their apprehensions, with a design, of erecting batteries and pickets to surround the town, thereby to awe and intimidate, if not to subjugate the inhabitants to a tame and unresisting state of servitude. Therefore,

Resolved, That it is the opinion of these joint committees that should any person or persons inhabitants of this or the neighbouring provinces supply the troops now stationed in the town of Boston acting in open hostility to the persons and properties of the inhabitants, with labour, lumber, joice, spars, pickets, straw, bricks, or any material whatsoever, which may furnish them with requisites to annoy or in any way distress said inhabitants, he or they so offending shall be held in the highest detestation, be deemed the most inveterate enemies of this people, and ought to be prevented, opposed and defeated by all reasonable means whatever.

Voted, That it is the opinion of these committees, that committees of observation and prevention should be appointed by each town, particularly in Roxbury, Milton, Dedham, Cambridge, Braintree, Mistick, Charlestown and Watertown, and that the committees of correspondence be desired to appoint committees to see that the resolves of the joint committees entered into this day be faithfully executed.

Return to Historical Document index